We had the pleasure to interview Little Dragon before their show in Trouw on 20th February. In May they will release their fourth studio album, Namuba Rubberband.
Interview by Sheila Binesh
Blend: I did the phone call/interactive thing, and I thought it was really cool, how do you see it in relation to your album?
Yukimi Nagano: The phone call? I mean I think we were just trying to do something. Actually it was an idea that was sent to us from Andy who we work with in the US who’s a manager and Adam – he’s from the label in the US. We thought it sounded super fun, kind of like a new way to try to reach out to our fans. Kind of like to feel personal but kind of silly and I don’t know.
Erik Bodin: It doesn’t really reflect the record.
Sheila: Okay, yeah that what was I was gonna ask next.
Yukimi: Yeah exactly. Its nothing really about the record but I feel like we have a very personal connection with our fans in this sense. Because it’s something that’s done by us and you know we haven’t really had any chance to promote ourselves other than touring touring touring.
Erik: And MySpace.
Yukimi: And MySpace. (laughs) Yeah, it’s just about a fun way to be like ‘hey’.
Erik: Yeah it’s really … we like it very much.
Blend: When you engage with digital media, do you first approach someone who knows how to create interactive platforms or do you come up with the idea first and try to find someone who can make it a reality?
Yukimi: The idea was there and then we filmed it and then someone put it together.
Erik: The guy who created it based it on something they did in the early 90s where in America you call a 1-800 number for your rep (ed.: Representative) and you can hear the song over the phone. And somehow they tried to replicate that.
Yukimi: Also we were thinking about doing something with Skype. Like what if you could Skype. Everyone uses Skype. If we could Skype people, you know. It would be like that. But then it ended up developing into a phone call.
Blend: It’s cool. Why did you decide to make 2 music videos for you single(s)? How is the second one different?
Yukimi: Oh not for the … one is for ‘Klaap Klaap’ … so good! (With a mouth full of chocolate) (Laughs) Mmm! And the other one is for another song.
Yukimi: The guy who directed the video. It was his idea to do a two-part video. He really loved this other song as well (‘Paris’) and we really love him so we said ‘yeah lets go for it’.
Blend: What inspires you to make music, outside of music itself?
Erik: Life. (Laughs) No but life and other art forms can be inspiring. I guess. Some kind of energy. And reading. Books.
Fredrik: Books. Stories.
Yukimi: Dreams.
Erick: Dreams.
Blend: With the extra time, how was writing different on this album?
Yukimi: I think it was different in the sense that we had a chance to go through different phases. You know phases where we were just trying stuff for a long time. We had a chance to get stuck even and allow ourselves to feel that way and get through it. And just write write write… without feeling the pressure of having to have something really fast. Waiting until we felt like we had the music. Yeah I think that’s important.
Blend: How do you think trends in music, like the electronification of music, influence your music?
Erik: The electrification?
Blend: Yeah well, I don’t know if that’s a real word, but other genres seem to become more electronic-y.
Fred: I wouldn’t say that we- I mean we we’ve been kind of electrified since the beginning.
Blend: But does it affect the way you view it?
Erik: I think it definitely gives you more options because we are not only electrified. I think our main angle with music is to do whatever we feel like doing.
Yukimi: Yeah, be free.
Erik: I think we would be boring if we were just an acoustic band. It would be boring for us to narrow ourselves.
Yukimi: It would be boring to be just electronic as well.
Erik: Yeah, anything that can make a sound. It’s nice to have the organic feeling of something being played rather than programmed. You could tell your computer to play a melody “tk tk tk” but its more nice to actually to play that. There might be a little mistake but that would make it more human. I think it should be more humanization of the electrification of music. (Everyone laughs) But it’s also nice with the programs and stuff.
Fred: Of course, because if sometimes you have the voice and then it needs the perfectness of a machine. No rules.
Erik: No rulification.
Blend: I could tell that weather was an influence on this album, but how you are influenced by place or location… in the physical sense?
Yukimi: We haven’t really written in any other place than our studio. I mean at least for our own. Well actually that’s not true. Me and Fred wrote when we were on the Gorillaz tour but most of the stuff we have written in our studio. So I think we should try to go somewhere where it’s super different to see if the music would come out different. Maybe it would. But I don’t know how that would be because we are in our studio. Our studio is also like our comfortable space, our bubble and our comfort zone. So it’s really easy to be there and you don’t feel like you’re distracted. You could be in another studio and there’s always people around or it’s new and maybe super fresh and luxurious, but it doesn’t have the same feeling as our studio has. For us.
Erik: But it’s just funny: whenever you make music, it’s a vehicle to travel within yourself. So we can be wherever we want to be eventually and make music there but that’s where you are making music. You are probably traveling somewhere else. You know if it’s sunny outside or raining, we are in our own bubble of music. I think we are kinda tripped out that way… that we get sucked into the sounds. It’s not so important where you are, it’s more important what you… yeah where you want to go. It’s not important but it turns out that way. You make a sound and all of a sudden the sound creates a world that you step into to escape in some sense.
Blend: So the ideal space to make music in is your own studio? Is that how you see it?
Erik: Anywhere where there is an instrument I guess and a place to record it would be a nice place.
Yukimi: Yeah but we haven’t really tried it, but were up for it.
Håkan: I think it was more important before to have our safety, a place where we feel safe.
Erik: To shield out.
Håkan: And home. The more we put out records and do stuff; it’s going to be easier to have our own feeling.
Yukimi: I think it’s just about feeling like it’s just us in the studio. When you are writing you are in a very vulnerable state. You are thinking of ideas and you don’t really want to be judged. You just want to try a million things. If you have other people there, it can easily feel like they are observing you. Sometimes you just want to feel like you’re experimenting and even if it turns out shit… it doesn’t matter. I think in that sense it’s just important to be just us. I guess we could do that anywhere and I’m sure we will be recording in LA or recording in…. Amsterdam. Maybe, why not?
Blend: What do you think is the ideal space for Little Dragon to perform in?
Erik: Somewhere where we haven’t been before.
Yukimi: Could be.
Fred: I don’t know, because we haven’t been there
Erik: Exactly, because that’s the ideal place to be. Why haven’t we been there? What’s going to happen? Sometimes when you go back to a place it can be a little bit like ‘aww, the first time we were here we had never been here’ so we were like… expectations are zero. Then you come back and you had a great time, it might not be the same this time. I think it’s nice to come to somewhere where you’ve never been before.
Blend: Do you have any places in mind?
Erik: (laughs)
Yukimi: There’s so many… it could be anything; it just depends on the circumstances. A festival could be ideal; a club show could be ideal with good sound and good vibe. It depends on how… sometimes the situation is just about everything being in line. You’re feeling great, the crowd is great, the sound is good. Or even, we did a show in the Redwoods (California) once that was outside, starry night. Little crowd, but that was great too. And sometimes you have a festival where you hardly have a sound check but it actually turns out really phat, really massive with tons of people who maybe don’t know you and that can turn out amazing. Or vice versa. We’ve had so many experiences of both. You never know, any place could be perfect or terrible. Not terrible, but you know what I mean.
Erik: Terrible. (laughs)
Fred: It would be nice to have a show on something that’s moving, like on a bus or a car.
Erik: Or horse back.
Yukimi: That would be amazing!
Erik: A balloon!
Yukimi: A train.
Blend: I think your music is fun to dance to; do you have songs you like to dance to?
Yukimi: So much, I think there are so many different things that music does, but one of my favorite things is just making you want to dance.
Erik: Potentially every song could make you want to dance.
Yukimi: Yeah, that’s so true. Any song you love could make you dance doesn’t matter if it’s slow.
Erik: Or fast.
Yukimi: Personally, I would dance to anything and everything. Doesn’t have to be electronic house music or whatever.
Erik: Even though it’s pretty good to dance to. (laughs)
Yukimi: Kate Bush, it could be anything.
Erik: What was that one song, those guys from Stockholm? They were really fun.
Fred: Yeah, Usio (https://soundcloud.com/usio-1), some band from Stockholm. ‘Hadithi Fupi’ is the name of the track. It’s pretty happy. Aqua. You know, that Danish band.
Erik: Oh yeah, (singing) “I want you” … isn’t that ‘I’m a Barbie girl’? That’s a good one.
Blend: I listened to the cover that Lianne la Havas recently did of “Twice,” is there a song you would like to cover?
Fred: I think we have different ones.
Yukimi: No, I’m not so interested in that to be honest.
Fred: (laughs) We often start to play ‘(You Can) Call Me Al‘ by Paul Simon.
Yukimi: But they usually sing it.
Erik: Yukimi is not so…
Yukimi: But let me tell you why, because I feel like sometimes there are so many great songs and I really respect them. I’m not interested in… I don’t know why I would want to… I mean I love that other people do it, but just for me it’s more fun to do something that no one has done before because it’s yours. When you do covers, it could be super amazing and some people are so good at it, but it think I’d be terrible. Like, is it different enough from the original? Does it feel like I’m bringing something new to it? I love the original, obviously if I’m going to do a cover I have to love it. Then I just think I’d rather do original songs.
Erik: It can easily feel like you are a wedding band all of a sudden. If you are making an exact copy of the original.
Yukimi: I think its something that has to come really natural. I mean hopefully for Lianne it’s something because she really loves the song and was a fan so it became like a natural thing. So right now, I don’t know what we would cover but maybe if you hear that song you would know.
Erik: ‘(You Can) Call Me Al’ by Paul Simon.
Yukimi: Erik, on vocals.
Blend: So does this mean you don’t like karaoke?
Yukimi: I like karaoke, (Laughs) But that’s different.
Blend: What new music are you guys listening to these days?
Yukimi: I like King Krule, some songs are really nice.
Erik: Yeah! King Krule!
Fred: The new Beyoncé tracks.
Yukimi: I really really like the new Beyoncé tracks.
Blend: Which ones?
Fred: ‘Drunk in Love’.
Yukimi: ‘Drunk in Love’ and also…
Erik: The surfboard one. (‘Drunk in Love’)
Yukimi: The one with Drake (‘Mine’). Yeah there are a few songs that are amazing. I like a couple tracks by SZA.
Yukimi: I played with her in L.A., she’s really cool.
Fred: Tsunami. (laughs)
Yukimi: Avici, (laughs) no. Who’s that guy? There’s a Swedish guy who did some cool stuff. Lukiss.
Erik: He’s more part of the box.
Yukimi: Experimental dance music. Really good. I mean Frank Ocean, Jai Paul.
Blend: A lot of new music. That’s good because I feel like not always bands listen to new music. But it depends.
Erik: Yeah, its hard to find new music when you are constantly making music yourself.
Yukimi: Unknown Mortal Orchestra.
Blend: In the past you guys have done a lot of collaborations but it seems as the initiative was coming from the other side, is there an artist you would like to collaborate with?
Håkan: Steve Reich would be nice.
Yukimi: Yeah definitely. Bach! (laughs) No I’m just kidding.
Håkan: It depends, it’s more a personal thing.
Erik: We meet people and we like them and then we do stuff together and maybe we find something nice.
Yukimi: Yeah its kinda like you vibe, like we do with each other. We met and we were friends and we really like each other’s ways of playing. It’s easier that way, instead of someone to just to push.
Fred: It could feel constructed. ‘You and you, okay work’.
Yukimi: It’s easier when you meet someone and you have a good vibe. They say ‘hey! Let’s do something’ and you say ‘yeah! Okay, I really like your work’, ‘I really like your work’, you have to be in the same place. Not just the label calling the manager. It happens that way too. It could be anyone. It could be some kid who nobody knows and who’s just making nice music or somebody who somebody knows.
Fred: Maybe more visual artists. I think we’re more keen on that before working with someone musically.
Yukimi: Yeah, we’ve done that so much. It has to feel special.
Blend: What’s one thing you like to bring on tour?
Erik: iPhone, Computer.
Fred: Smartphone.
Yukimi: Toothpaste, phone.
Erik: Clothes to sweat in. Comfortable clothes that you can run or exercise in.
Yukimi: Yoga mat.
Fred: Camera.
Håkan: Passports.
Blend: Are there any morning rituals you have?
Fred: Coffee.
Erik: I always drink water.
Yukimi: I drink water too. Blow my nose.
Erik: Be a little disappointed that you have to get up. (laughs) It’s a morning ritual. Like ‘I don’t want to get up,’ snooze!
Yukimi: Snooze!
Fred: Oh yeah!
Yukimi: Snooze on your phone.
Erik: I slept for 2 hours today.
Yukimi: I didn’t even set my alarm
Blend: What is your favorite thing about Amsterdam?
Yukimi: The weed!
Fred: The people.
Yukimi: No, but I mean it’s been a really nice perception… for the music. I think that’s what we appreciate. People coming out to the shows and playing new songs and people being excited. The new songs. Without having heard them before, really good vibes, sending positive vibes. People in the front dancing like crazy, looking like they are having a super good time, giving us a good energy.
Fred: It has a special character. Dutch people have a certain character. Self-confident character.
Yukimi: Yeah, it actually reminds me of little bit of Gothenburg, our city.
Fred: Yeah, like they are Swedes that can loosen up.
Erik: Yeah, exactly!
Yukimi: Swedes are a little more conservative. But it seems people know how to party better (here) in a good way.
Erik: I feel like… I don’t know, it’s so many things. The fact that it feels like the country is about to sink. You are still so well planned that you manage not to sink.
Yukimi: I love the bicycles!
Erik: And you are bicycling. And I think you call cannabis, ‘soft drugs’. You are not completely ignorant. I think there is an awareness. It feels intelligent to me, in the best sort of way. A lot of things about the Dutch that makes me think ‘oh wow they are really… they’re modern! They’re thinking.’ Is that the truth?
Blend: I think so! Well I’m not Dutch though.
Erik: Oh wow!
Blend: I’m from California, I really like it as well, and that’s why I’m still living here. Do you guys have any favorite places to visit in the city?
Yukimi: Not too much.
Erik: Not enough.
Yukimi: I actually don’t know where I am right now. I’ve been in the city. I know the city center more. Is this the city center?
Sheila: We are in East.
Erik: I don’t know, I get lost, as soon as I cross a canal, uhhh… another canal?
Sheila: Yeah, it’s round so its easy to get lost.
Erik: Confusing!
Blend: Do you have any funny Amsterdam stories? Or memorable moments?
Erik: Yeah… (laughs) certainly had one of the best weed experiences here, but it’s not so memorable… I don’t remember it. (laughs)
Yukimi: It’s a haze.
(Start speaking in Swedish together… discussing if they should tell me one of their crazy stories) (laughing together)
Yukimi: Last time when we were on the tour bus we had a pretty good long night, if I remember correctly. (Speaking in Swedish together again) (Laughing together)
Erik: Nothing happened. (everyone laughs)
Blend: That’s a sign of a good night then.
Erik: Everything was well planned and no surprises. Everything was just perfect.
- Sheila Binesh
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